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The Trip

Unfortunately, this trip has been cancelled. If you have questions, please contact us.

This trip is for people who love to hike and explore while enjoying skyline views, redwoods, pristine beaches, and open spaces dotted with wildflowers. From our lodge base, our day hikes will take us through the rolling hills, across lush meadows, and on an island -- all within various parks and open spaces of Marin County, California, just north of San Francisco.

Marin County is an anomaly. Just a half an hour’s drive from the traffic and congestion of San Francisco lies a land of historic dairy farms, a 2,500-foot mountain, dozens of trails, a lagoon where harbor seals lounge on sandbars and egrets and herons feed, and an island rich with California history and spectacular 360-degree views. April will bring lush green hills teeming with wildflowers.

On our daily hikes of five to seven miles over undulating terrain, we will enjoy Muir Woods National Monument, the Marin Headlands, Point Reyes National Seashore, Mt. Tamalpais State Park, and Angel Island State Park, as the leaders show you their favorite trails.

Itinerary

This trip covers a mix of fantastic scenery -- whether rambling through the redwoods along a rushing stream to reach the beach, or whether visiting the Marin Headlands of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, where we’ll snap photos of scenic vistas across the bay. We’ll spend one day at Point Reyes National Seashore, hiking, picnicking, poking around the visitor center, and perhaps visiting an Indian village. On another day, we'll hike and explore Angel Island State Park in San Francisco Bay. A 10-minute ferry ride will take us to this island known as the "Ellis Island of the West" for a historical journey to a bygone era and a wonderful trek to the top with spectacular panoramic views of the entire Bay Area.

Each day will be filled with activity. Some evening programs will be offered at the lodge. Full details will be given in pre-trip correspondence. All hikes and programs are subject to change depending on a variety of factors, including trail conditions, permits, weather, and availability of speakers.

Getting There

Travel to and from the lodge is the responsibility of each participant. Ridesharing or taking public transportation from SFO airport is encouraged. To facilitate carpooling, you will receive a participant roster. Vans will be used to transport you to and from the trailheads. Additional information regarding travel options will be provided. Do not make any transportation reservations until the leader approves.

Accommodations and Food

We will be based at the rustic and charming, private California Alpine Club in Mill Valley, California, which is tucked into the redwoods of Mt. Tamalpais State Park. Perched on a scenic ridge, we'll enjoy privacy as well as a central location for traveling to our many trails. The lodge boasts a large stone fireplace in a comfortable living room. Sleeping arrangements are in two buildings. Each dorm-style bedroom has 4-6 beds. A few private bedrooms are available for couples. You will need to bring your own towels, pillowcase cover, and sheets or lightweight sleeping bag. Blankets and pillows will be provided. Bathrooms are shared. Shower and toilet rooms are separate and have privacy doors. Participants are not permitted to remain at the lodge during the day unless a leader is on the premises. No smoking is allowed on the premises.

Our cook has planned healthy, hearty, and vegetarian-friendly meals. We cannot accommodate vegan, lactose-intolerant, or gluten-free diets. Non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. We will dine in either a glassed-in porch or outside on a large deck. Each morning we will prepare our own lunches. As is customary on Sierra Club outings, participants will take turns assisting with meal preparation and clean up. We will have two nights out for dinner. Those evenings' meals will be at your expense ($30-40 each). All other meals will be included, starting with dinner on the first day and ending with breakfast and a sack lunch on the final day.

Trip Difficulty

The ability to hike vigorously five to seven miles a day for five days is essential for your enjoyment and for the group's enjoyment. Elevation gains and losses of 500-800 feet will be typical on the average hike. Shorter hikes may be available. For your safety, it is important to be in good hiking condition and have well broken-in, over-the-ankle hiking boots.

Equipment and Clothing

Weather in April is often lovely, although it can also be warm, foggy, or even rainy. Average temperatures are in the 60s in the daytime and the 40s at night. Dressing in layers works best for the San Francisco Bay Area.

Your day pack must be large enough to hold lunch, water, and a warm, waterproof jacket. A detailed clothing and equipment list will be sent when you are approved for the trip. Brilliant wildflowers abound in these protected open spaces so be sure to bring your camera! Also bring your binoculars for observing migrating birds.

References

Books:

• Martin, Don and Kay, Hiking Marin.
• Ashley, Beth, Marin.
• Munz, Philip, Introduction to Shore Wildflowers.

Maps:

• Olmsted, Gerald, Trails of Mt. Tamalpais and The Marin Headlands.
• Harrison, Tom, Trail map of Pt. Reyes National Seashore.
• Harrison, Tom, Mt. Tamalpais Trail Map.

Websites:

• Marin Headlands: http://www.nps.gov/goga/marin-headlands.htm
• Pt. Reyes: http://www.nps.gov/pore/
• Muir Woods: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=471
• Mt. Tamalpais: http://www.nps.gov/muwo/
• Angel Island State Park: http://www.angelisland.org

Conservation

Your volunteer leaders have a long-term dedication to the Sierra Club mission -- "to explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth." We hope to impart to you some of our love for this area and for the work of the Sierra Club. We believe that the Sierra Club's outings program provides an excellent opportunity for members to enjoy the fruits of past conservation victories and to learn about current concerns. While on this trip, please feel free to share the local conservation issues from your area.

Because of its natural beauty and proximity to a densely populated urban area, West Marin is a popular destination for tourists and locals who flock to its trails, beaches, wetlands, old growth forests, and geologic features. Much has been lost to development since the gold rush days, but much has been saved -- mostly due to the heroic efforts of individuals and local environmental organizations. Marin County is a shining example. More than 60 percent of its land is protected in public ownership and easements through national parks, state parks, watershed, county open space, and land trusts.

We will learn and practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace to minimize our impact whenever we choose to explore nature. At the lodge we will model recycling, conservation, and minimal use of disposable products. We ask that you bring reusable sandwich containers, bags for carrying your lunch, and a few bandanas or cloth napkins.

Since any traveling leaves a carbon footprint, check out the information the Sierra Club offers about carbon offsets at:
http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/national/offsets/Carbon_neutral.asp

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under permits from Point Reyes National Seashore and Mount Tamalpais State Park.

Trip Price

See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Staff

Leader:

Since 1993, Peggy Hepburn has participated in, led, and cooked on many Sierra Club trips from California to the Caribbean. She enjoys the camaraderie that the Sierra Club trip participants always seem to share, and always looks forward to another hiking and exploring adventure in the outdoors.

E-mail: peggyhep@yahoo.com

Assistant Leader:

Mark Sapiro is a longtime backpacker. He is also a rock climber and enthusiastic bicyclist. He has been leading Bay Chapter backcountry ski trips and assisting on Chapter backpack trips for more than 15 years. He has also assisted on seven Supported Trekking trips.

Mark is a native of the Los Angeles area and has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than 50 years. He was dean of computer services at City College of San Francisco until his retirement in 1992 (at a relatively young age).

Email: mark@msapiro.net

Cook:

Sarah O'Gara first joined the Sierra Club to meet people and discover new places to hike when she relocated from Los Angeles to Sacramento, California after college. She discovered National Outings Service Trips the summer when she worked in the Eastern Sierra to prepare for a Nepali trek in the fall. She has volunteered as a Service Trip leader for the past 10 years because it combines her love of working on conservation projects with like-minded people and Leave No Trace backcountry cooking. Sarah has a certificate in Natural Resources Management with an emphasis in botany and will be sure to include a wildflower identification book in her pack.

E-mail: sarah_ogara@yahoo.com

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General Notes About Sierra Club Trips

• Carbon Offsets
• Carpooling
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Participant Approval
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback
• Wilderness Manners